CAT Team (North Metro Chemical Assessment Team)

Coon Rapids Fire partners with departments from the surrounding areas of Fridley and SBM Fire (Spring Lake Park, Blaine, Moundsview) to form a contracted Chemical Assessment Team (CAT). Minnesota has 11 CAT teams, each responsible for a geographical area. A truck and trailer equipped with sophisticated equipment is housed between Coon Rapids and SBM fire stations.

Primary responsibilities of a CAT include hazard assessment, technical assistance, simple mitigation and basic decontamination. CATs professional responders are trained to exceed OSHA and NFPA competencies and provide technical support and monitoring to incident commanders; specialized equipment and reference materials and additional support to other state agencies as needed.

CATs can also sample for identification of unknown substances, monitor air, plume projection, make evacuation/sheltering recommendations, over pack/containment of a container and sample collection (not evidence).

CATs do not assume overall command of a local incident, clean or transport hazardous materials, mitigate explosive devices or clandestine drug labs or respond to waste abandonment.

Team members are highly trained in chemistry, hazardous materials and monitoring equipment. The team participates in training drills twice a month.